They were finally back in Lucis.

"Feels good to be back on home ground." Prompto said.

"Yeah, definitely." Aeryn agreed.

"So what's going on with you two anyway?" Nerys was being nosy.

"Umm... well..." they both felt embarrassed and put on the spot.

"We can worry about that later. Right now we need to save the world." Prompto nodded to Aeryn.

"Sounds so dramatic when you say it like that." Aeryn laughed.

"It is dramatic. He's not wrong, we are saving the world, from darkness."

"I just want you guys to know... it's not Ardyn's fault. It's not Somnus's fault either. He realised what he did was wrong and he tried to make Ardyn understand that what he did, he did for Lucis and it's people. It simply was the will of the Gods. Fate..."

"Why would the Gods allow this?" Noctis said angrily.

"The rationale of the Gods is beyond mortal comprehension." She closed her eyes and stood still, then turned around to face them all. "I have one request. That we have another camp out tonight. Like we used to. You know, for old times sake."

"I for one, think that's a splendid idea." Ignis agreed. The others thought it was a great idea too, and so they found the perfect spot, on top of a giant rock, with a beautiful view. The sun was setting. Aeryn insisted on cooking everything. It was a fantastic feast.

"May I have a word." Ignis pulled her to one side. "Why all this? What aren't you telling us?"

"You remember the vision Pryna showed you, right? The prophecy... many gave their lives for the chosen king..."

"So he must give his life in return."

"But it doesn't have to be that way."

"The loophole you mentioned."

"Yes. It's the only way to save him from that fate, whilst still saving the world. I know what you're going to say Ignis, but I've already made my mind up and started on that path. There's no turning back now. So is my calling."

"I know you too well to know there's nothing I could say that will stop you. But I ask that you tell the others. They deserve to know."

"Okay. I'll tell them." They went back to the camp fire.

"What were you two talking about?" Noctis asked casually.

"Well..." she leaned back and sighed. "There's something I have to tell you guys." She braced herself. "And I need you to listen and not argue. This has already been set in motion and can't be changed. The prophecy stated that the king of kings would be chosen by the crystal to restore light to the world. To banish the darkness once and for all. The cost would be his own life... yours Noctis."

"I'll have to die... to save everyone else?"

"Not anymore. It has to be someone of the blood of Lucis, in order to use the ring and it's power. It was ordained to be you, until I got my memories back. I am also blood of Lucis. I am also blood of the Oracle. And I already have the crystals power inside me, two millennia's worth of power stored up. If anything, it's more fitting it be me, to defeat Ardyn. Now the time has come to fulfil my calling."

She stood up. "Kings of Lucis! I beckon you're to my side. Help me fulfil my calling, so that the King May fulfil his. I sacrifice my life, so that he may not have to sacrifice his!" And so the past kings of Lucis appeared before her. Regis stood next to her, unable to look at her. Her friends looked on, unable to comprehend what was happening.

"I want you all to promise me, that after all this is done, once the light has been restored to our star, you'll live your lives, to the fullest. Gladio, thank you for protecting Noctis, for fighting for him and at his side. Ignis, I wasn't strong enough before, but perhaps now..." she put her hands on his face and they started glowing. She had healed his eyesight. "Thank you for always being there, guiding and teaching us. Nerys, thank you for being my friend for these years, for following me, knowing the dangers you would face. Elvyne, you too, I hope you can travel the world. Prompto, thank you for being my best friend. All we've been through, it brings me such joy to have met you and it has been an honour to be your friend, always and forever. I'm happy that now you have more friends, with whom you can share more memories with and create new ones. Finally, Noctis. My dear brother. I told you didn't I, when we first met and you shook my hand... you smiled the sweetest smile I had ever seen. I vowed to protect you, to follow you, obey you without hesitation. Your burdens would be my burdens and you would never have to do anything alone. I promised that I would do everything in my power to keep you safe and happy, so that you would never lose that smile." She smiled and hugged him. "This is why, I have to do what I'm about to do." The Kings of Lucis began to drive their swords into her one by one, until two remained. Somnus stood before her.

"Aeryn..."

"It's okay, Uncle Somnus. I forgive you. I understand why you did what you did. But most of all, thank you."

"Uh... for what?" He was confused.

"If you hadn't done what you did, I wouldn't be here, I wouldn't have met any of these guys, I wouldn't have had the life I did. And I'm so thankful for it. All the bad time and the good times. It was all worth it, because in the end, I can do this one last thing for Noctis. So please, go ahead."

"I'm sorry, Aeryn." He said as he plunged his sword into her. Last but not least was Regis.

"Dad, you always knew this would have to happen. You mounted the fate of your chosen son, but now I can relieve at burden from him. Please dad, trust in me." And so Regis too, plunged his sword into her. The final blow that was needed to end her life.

"Aeryn!" Noctis screamed and cried. He held her in his arms. "Why... why did you do this? Why not let me make the sacrifice?"

"I told you, Noctis, smile." She out her hand on his cheek and smiled. "I love you. I love all of you." She closed her eyes and her body faded to the stars.

They were all crying, when a bright light came down and Aeryn was there. She still looked like her but also didn't.

"Go forth, my King, and as with the Astrals, call on me during battle and I will come to fight by your side once more." She bowed and disappeared.

"As with the Astrals? Does that mean?" Prompto scratches his head.

"She's become a goddess?" As he looked up Bahamut appeared before them.

"The girls noble sacrifice, out of love for her brother, has granted her the Gods favour. She has the power of Oracle, bloodline of Lucis and that of the crystal. She has been given temporary status as 'Goddess of light, the Solarean. This so that she may aid her king one last time. So that he may live on. Do not let her sacrifice for you be in vane. Now you must go forth and slay the accursed."

"Why have you done this to her? Why let her die for me?"

"It is what she wished. For years I watched over her, whilst she was inside the crystal. That human girl fascinated me and over time I grew fond of her. In her I could see the best in humanity. Even when she left the crystal I watched her. I watched her suffer at the hands of men, yet still she saw the best in humanity, she never sought revenge on those who harmed her, nor did she ever wish harm on them. Despite all the pain she endured, she smiled through it. I began to see her as a daughter, in a way. I care deeply for her, and this is all she has ever asked of me; to keep you safe and happy."

"I never knew Gods could feel that way about humans..."

"Humans were made in our image. If you can feel it, we can feel it. Her love for you is so pure and selfless. We granted her wish, though it brings us sorrow. Her calling is not fulfilled until you have fulfilled yours. I king of kings, go forth and help restore the light to this star." Bahamut disappeared back to his dimension.

"We gotta do this. We gotta see this through to the end, for her."

"We were going to anyway, but now we have even more reason."

"She has certainly made things easier for us. I doubt Ardyn will put up much of a fight, if it's against his own daughter..." Ignis said with a deep sadness in his voice, it was almost breaking.

"Remember that time when she couldn't speak properly, and she just made gestures and weird noises?" Prompto put his head down.

"Yeah, that was funny." Noctis replied.

"She always poured and made funny faces." He smiled. "She always did her best to make us laugh, and keep us happy."

"Yet, there was sadness in her heart at times..." Ignis added.

"You mean like the time she ran away?"

"Yes. I always worried the burden of being royalty would be too much for her. But she always did her best to meet expectations..."

"I just wish I knew, it took me so long to realise she felt that way. That she felt like she was always compared to me..."

"She said once that even she thought you were better than her... I assured her no one thought it was true and that you were both equal."

"Thank you, Ignis." He sighed. "I remember growing up, whenever she couldn't sleep, especially if she had nightmares, she would come sneak into my bed and cuddle up to me. I only knew when I woke up and she was there. I'd always give her a hug and she'd wake up and smile at me then go back to her room."

"When you were in Tenebrae, there was a vicious thunderstorm and she went to your room but you weren't there, so she came to my room and did just that. She was shaking. I thought she was just scared of the thunder, but after seeing her memories, that night Somnus tried to kill her, I can understand why she reacted how she did. She held onto me tightly and wouldn't let go for the whole night. I did my best to make her feel safe."

"I'm sure she did, Ignis. She always looked up to you. She had all the respect in the world for you and above all she loved you."

"She felt the same about all of us. She loved us all, and her actions are proof."

"Stop talking like that!" Nerys cried.

"What do you mean?"

"Stop talking about her in the past tense... wherever she is now, she still loves us. She may not be with us in body, but she's in our hearts at least."

"Yes, you're right. Sorry." Noctis thought back to more memories. "I remember this one time we were eating with father, and we didn't like the food, none of us did. I looked over at her and she had a mouth full and she didn't want to eat it. We looked over at dad and he stuck his tongue out and shook his head in distaste. His tongue was green from the food... I laughed and Aeryn laughed so hard she ended up accidentally swallowing the food. The look on her face was priceless."

"What was the food?"

"Don't worry Iggy, it wasn't your cooking. It wasn't a bad chef, it's just we don't like that dish... some kind of steamed fish and vegetables."

"I'll note not to cook you that."

"Well you know which fish I do like... but that one, it had the texture of rubber and tasted like ocean."

"Haha, I wish I'd have been there." Prompto tried to imagine Aeryn's face.

"I remember this one time, before all this, me and Aeryn went camping. When I say went camping, I mean... well when we got there we realised we forgot the tents and stuff. We were that excited we forgot the important stuff. She pouted so hard I thought she was gonna burst! It was so funny. But that's not the best part. So she's looking at this flat hard rock we were stood on, and she started turning around on the spot and then she sat down. You know like how a dog gets comfy, she was doing that but the whole time she didn't stop pouting. When I woke in the morning, the car horn was blaring. So I went to have a look and it was the funniest thing, she was sleeping there, her face against the steering wheel and her legs behind her and almost over her head. How she fell asleep like that is behind me. She looked like a pretzel."

"She can fall asleep anywhere." Prompto smiled. "One of my favourite times was when she stayed over at mine, we tried to pull an all-nighter, playing Kings Knight. She ordered pizza and snacks and stuff. I was sat on the sofa and she was sat in front of me. We had a great time. We laughed. At one point she was staring right into my eyes and was inches away from me. It was so intense I thought she was going to kiss me... maybe she was going to."

"What happened?"

"The game was like 'you died. You died." And she fell to the floor like 'noooooo all that progress!" Prompto after it out. "The last time we saved was hours before. But you know what she said. She said 'well another way to look at it, is now we can have even more time together to play' and I could see how happy she was that she would get to spend more time with me. She fell asleep on the sofa. I took her to my bedroom and tucked her in and as I was about to leave she asked me to stay."

"What? How come you never told me this?" Noctis asked.

"I didn't want you to get the wrong idea, nothing happened! This was when we were like eighteen and she was sixteen. I swear nothing happened."

"I believe you. I know you wouldn't do that."

"I just wish I'd have told her how I feel back then, instead of waiting all this time, and now we can't be together. I think, if I'd have told her back then, maybe we'd have cherished our time together even more."

"Perhaps, but that doesn't mean she didn't know. I mean she knew you cared about her, and that you loved her in some way, she just didn't know you love her the same way she loves you. And you know, better late than never."

"Yeah, at least I finally told her... knowing that she loves me like that, makes me the happiest man alive. She gave me freedom, my life, you guys, her friendship and love, all things I never imagined I'd have. I owe everything to her." The rest of the night they reminisced about other good memories they had with her. All the way until dawn.